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As the last Rebels episodes come closer and closer, I find myself looking back a lot, going back to those early days on Lothal, when we were just getting to know the Ghost crew. Back when we were all taking our first steps together into a time previously unexplored in the canon. Back before we knew of wonderful things like space waffles and purrgil! I find one of the best ways to venture back into this time and space is by watching the delightful character-centric shorts that were released in preparation for the series. Join me as I rewatch each one and then discuss what made them so great! Get ready for some serious reminiscing 🙂

So in case you haven’t heard the story, this was the only of the shorts I saw before the series debuted. I thought originally they were clips instead of original shorts, and being the really-likes-to-keep-things-a-surprise fan that I am, I waited. I don’t remember what convinced me to watch Machine, maybe it was on the socials or something and made it clear it was a short. But either way… this one gave me one of the best tastes of what was to come in Rebels. And also the utter preciousness that is Kanera ❤ ❤

The threat of oncoming TIEs is real, and it gets you on the edge of your seat. But it's clear quickly that this crew can handle it, so the battle takes a backseat while the characters take the stage. And what a performance we get! Most of us wouldn't consider an argument like poetry, but every retort and reply is perfect, with the most harmonious bits of sarcasm weaved in. And even though they argue, you get a sense of warm familiarity in it that says there's infinitely more to their relationship, even before they exchange compliments at the end. And then you have Chopper in the middle of it all, greatly irritated, but seemingly used to this sort of thing as he puts up with their oft-opposing commands. But ultimately he steps up and gets the job done, proving to the audience he can do more than just fix shields and comms. It's all so classically Star Wars and it all comes together smooth as kaadu butter!

“As I recall, raiding an Imperial supply convoy was your plan, love…”“Well, it made sense at the time.”
If you’ve read my posts on Rebels for any amount of time, you know I refer back to the novel A New Dawn a lot. I won’t spoil anything on it here, but it sheds so much light on who Kanan once was, and makes watching his character growth these last four years even more amazing. I’m highlighting that lovely bit of banter here for more than just that it makes me chuckle, but for the fact that this whole incident began with Kanan taking charge. Because once upon a time, Kanan didn’t have any interest in fighting the Empire. I might be stating the obvious, but it’s such a great story element that I have to state it again and again. He wasn’t always Spectre One; he earned that rank. And he deserved it… even if sometimes things like this happen.
And also on the topic of the novel, though Machine takes place much closer to the events of the series than New Dawn, the short still is a nice glimpse into what life with just the original three crewmembers might’ve been like.

Anyway, Machine is such a fantastic little treasure, flawlessly introducing the Ghost crew’s founding members by giving each character just the right amount of time in the spotlight… and giving us more reasons to laugh and smile than we could count 🙂

ART ATTACK: A SABINE WREN ORIGINAL

Though this was not the first time I’d met Sabine, Art Attack is a great way to introduce her to the audience. We catch her at her best and most Mando-masterful, nimbly and swiftly leading the stormtroopers on an impossible chase. She doesn’t even pull out a weapon until the end; for most of the short, she simply relies on her smarts and agility to pull off the perfect Rebel distraction. It brings a lightly comedic tone as she darts around, always one step ahead of the bucketheads, delivering stellar jabs as she goes. But even more so, it makes very clear that Sabine is a different kind of warrior than we’ve seen before; she is a true artist. Not just in the lovely purple starbird she adorns a TIE’s panel with, but in the way she carefully crafts her plan. Like a brush on a canvas, every move has purpose, and the end result is a dazzling piece that surely inspired all the innocent Lothalites who witnessed it. And you can tell it was a piece the artist was proud of as she remarked “…look at the color!“, which remains one of my favorite Sabine lines to this day. The notion of an artist Rebel was something so new and different at the time, but being an artist myself (or at least an aspiring one), it was the coolest thing to see someone in Star Wars who shared that interest with me and used it to make a difference. Like say, by the time I first watched this short, I already knew Sabine and how awesome at Rebelling she was, but it never hurts to be re-reminded of the facts, especially when you’re waiting for the season two to arrive.

“Always by the book. I read your book… it’s a short one.”
It’s another great Sabine line, but it’s also a really neat little clue to her past that’s amazing to find looking back. Though she may not have specifically read “their book”, she had trained under Imperials and knew plenty of their rules and protocol. I’d always loved that quote but hadn’t remembered it was spoken so early-on. They’re clever, those writers at Lucasfilm 🙂 It’s almost hard to remember what things were like before Sabine’s backstory was fully told, but this short definitely takes me back, and of course, makes me so very proud knowing how far she’s come since.

It’s astounding what Art Attack was able to accomplish in three minutes’ time — lots of action, some solid laughs, but still every moment has meaning in the grand story surrounding it. That is definitely what I’d call art!

ENTANGLEMENT: YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HONOR GUARD

OK so rewatching this one has me smiling so hard right now. It fills me with so much joy I hardly know where to begin.
But that’s the beauty of this one: where it begins.
It’s a blast watching Zeb take down buckethead after buckethead, but it all started because he couldn’t stand quietly in the face of injustice. That endlessly noble spirit has always been one of my favorite things about him, and watching him put everything on hold for one poor shopkeeper makes that part of him plain as day, whether you’re meeting him for the first time or you’ve been following him for four seasons. And with that all-important trait in mind, the most wonderfully explosive story unfolds in spectacular fashion. The speed at which all the action happens is the best kind of dizzying. And every twist and turn of the fight showcases both Zeb’s incredible strength as well as his finesse and ability to plan on the fly. It’s an unexpectedly beautiful sight, and for those new to the series, it’s not quite like anything we’d seen in Star Wars before. I mean, when Zeb grabs that one ‘trooper and flings him into the other?? That’s just WHOA on so many levels.

“Well that’s great! You get lost in the middle of a mission and decide to start your own battle — again!”
“I didn’t decide, it just… happened. This time.”
But like with the last two shorts, the action ultimately takes a backseat to the characters, and the end result is priceless. Zeb is enjoying every minute of this battle, you can tell. And Kanan is more than a little frustrated that his friend and fellow Rebel has strayed away from the original plan. This hilarious back-and-forth carries through almost the entire short and is nothing short of fantastic writing and a fantastic performance. The fact that this has obviously happened more than once makes it all the funnier, but also continues to say so much about who Zeb is. You know he’s not just bashing bucketheads for sport; it’s because of his burning desire to protect the innocent. Just like he did once as an Honor Guard, he continues to do for the people of Lothal, and that is nothing short of admirable… even when it miiiiiiight cause a few delays 🙂

Whoops now I went from being all giddy to being all feelsy. But that’s just what happens with shorts this great!

PROPERTY OF EZRA BRIDGER (or: NOT WHAT YOU THINK):
NO SIR, THANK YOU

It was impossible not to rewatch this short and proclaim “OH, HOW EZRA HAS GROWN!!”. A lot of it for me was just remarking over how young he was back then (even his voice sounds younger somehow!), but it’s Ezra’s character growth that truly astounds me. We watch here Ez playing the role of a “helpful, concerned citizen” as a cover for a good steal. But over time, we’ve seen him transform into a truly selfless, generous, driven young man who has no ulterior motive for doing the right thing. It was almost as though this jaded young thief is a totally different person — except maybe for the fact his sense of humor and irony hasn’t changed much 🙂

“Now remember, sir, no ‘thank-you’s. You didn’t need my help. And besides… I didn’t come to help!”
It’s easy to see though that Property really does make a good introduction for Ezra. It’s hard not to be won over by his clever wit and smooth moves as he rather puts this incredibly belligerent Imperial in his place. He doesn’t immediately strike the audience as a “hero” type, but soon as we watch him dodge the TIE’s guns with what could only be help from the Force… we know there might be a chance of heroism in his future. And it has a lot to do with that cargo ship he caught a fleeting glimpse of that day… or more so, the people on that cargo ship. Rewatching it really is a wonderful feeling, because seeing him cross paths with the Ghost for just the smallest, tiniest moment is a reminder of how beautifully things have come together since then. So much wow, you guys.
Plus, is there anything more satisfactory than watching the pilot’s overconfident smile disappear once Ez sends that energy blast his way? That might be my favorite part XD

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, these little three-minute gems are amazing. All of them thrilling and laugh-out-loud funny, but with so much more beneath the surface that gives it so much more meaning, especially the longer you follow this precious family’s story. Together, these four shorts make the perfect mini-prequel to Spark Of Rebellion, and the perfect quick nostalgia trip. Also again, I just love this show so so much ❤ Though the end is near, I'm still beyond excited to see where the story goes next, and that's likely when I'll post again in a couple weeks. Though keep an eye out, 'cause post inspiration may strike again even before that…

Though the episodes are arriving in pairs, I’m making sure every one of them gets the full-focus Rebel Transmission it deserves, including the sometimes-intense, sometimes-joyful, always-riveting gem that is The Occupation. Join me, if you will!

Contains spoilers from Rebels episodes Breaking Ranks and The Occupation. Also they’re some smaller spoilers from other episodes, so just make sure you’re caught up.

So I’d say it feels great to be back on Lothal again, but… well, you know. The title itself makes it clear things aren’t so hot. It still filled me with some nostalgia feels seeing the little things that made Lothal so memorable in the first season, but they were bittersweet nostalgia feels this time, as this beautiful world, once so bright and clear, is now dark and gray. It’s almost not the same world we last saw on An Inside Man. It’s shrouded in shadow and drowning in sorrows, brought upon by the Empire… and it hurts my heart so much more than I expected.
But leave it to SW to once again bring the perfect balance between dark and light.

As many ways this episode made me weep, it made me smile, too. Like with the return of Vizago! I was surprised at how much I’d missed the slippery scoundrel! And the PUFFER PIGS OMG!! SO. MANY. PUFFER. PIGS!!! You can never have too many far as I’m concerned! Though wow I can’t imagine what you have to go through to farm ’em. And of course, watching the still-so-confident-and-cool Kallus get major burns from Sabine and Rex was a sheer delight XP Yep those are some good times right there.

Oh, and I loved the crew’s new disguises! It’s fun when you’ve been familiar with a character’s look for a while, and then they go and do something so drastically different it kinda throws you at first, and then after a few minutes you start planning your next cosplay project. Well, maybe that’s just the artist/cosplayer/Star Wars nerd in me, but that’s exactly my feelings on it. Hera probably has my favorite costume change, but Ezra and Zeb tie for second with their fantastic, so-called “ridiculous”, hats XD Too bad Sabine didn’t follow that taunting of Chop’s up with a new paint job. Maybe a nice chartreuse? *Chopper comes after me with a blaster*
Right, and Sabine’s new hair, though not a part of the disguise, was great too. I like they didn’t venture too far color-wise from the former, but it still has a fresh, cool feel to it, that also perhaps carries a slight seriousness to it with the coming events…

A moment of silence, of course, for Old Jho and all that Old Jho’s was. The Imperial March is one of my favorite pieces of Star Wars score ever, but I wasn’t too happy to hear the “patriotic” version coming from what was once a good spot for the Ghost fam. Definitely another one of those bittersweet nostalgia moments. But a less-bittersweet moment was the unexpected helping hand that was Jai Kell! It’s funny I’ve been spending so long wondering if we’d see Zare Leonis again (stilllllllll need to read Servants Of The Empire sigh) that I never ever gave Jai a second thought. It’s not that I didn’t really like the kid, but he seemed so hesitant and uncertain inside of the Imperial Academy escapade that I just couldn’t imagine him a true Rebel. Now he’s nothing short of a true Rebel — clever, quick on his feet, and the kind of person you want to be best friends with — and I love him now more than ever! Well that’s one thing I’ve found I love about this series: these characters and stories go down far far better roads than what you and I might predict or assume 🙂

Obviously, there was no question I’d have to dedicate the rest of the blog a paragraph to that lovely little bit of Kaneraness :3 Now when that first clip came up on the socials a week before its debut… um yeah I didn’t see but a second of it but I was thrilled, and got this hope in my head that The Occupation would be a Kanan-and-Hera-centered episode. Ultimately, I got about two minutes instead of twenty-two, but, oh, it was wonderfully wonderful all the same. (Plus, I’ve gotta remind myself every now and again that technically Kanan and Hera got a whole novel, which is like getting several long episodes, so I’ll be happy whether they get an episode or not)
It’s funny… they’ve known each other forever, clearly have had obvious mutual feelings going around for a while, but they don’t get this close until they’re in a dark alley hiding from stormtroopers. AND IT’S SO PERFECT. The “I wish I could see you” bit surprised me some. In a couple small moments in season three, we see them interact by touch in the sweetest way, whether in just the way Hera embraced Kanan after the rescue in The Holocrons Of Fate, or in that brief tender hand-holding on Zero Hour. This gave me the impression, I guess, that they’d worked through some of that initial difficulty and found this great love language that worked well in spite of him being blinded. But turns out, even though he’s gained a lot through seeing with Force, he still does miss seeing her. Kanan looked so downcast… but Hera turned that around with the most genuine, joyful expression on her face when she replied “You could always see me.”. They only got so close before trouble came up again, but AHHHHHHHH THAT WAS SO SO UTTERLY PRECIOUS!! MY HEART IS ABSOLUTELY MELTED. I LOVE THESE BEANS ❤ ❤

As we follow our heroes in a tense chase through the sewers, I do need to take a minute and applaud the lighting artists. Almost the whole episode is in shadow. I thought at first something was wrong with my screen, but nope that’s how it’s supposed to be, to add to the danger and uncertainty, as well as the realization that this town used to have a lot more lights on at night. It’s especially prevalent perhaps within the climax. Doesn’t help we’ve got a deathtrooper involved! Remember last post when I commented I was hoping to see more of them again? I’m sorry Ghost fam, I didn’t think they’d show up that fast! And in the dark! With probes!! It’s almost a nostalgic scenario, even if things are considerably more intense than before. But I love that, in the midst of the darkness and hopelessness, they still come back out of the dark tunnels and into the light, and also into a reminder that this isn’t the first time a small crew of Rebels fought together and made a positive difference… 🙂

You ready for some more Rebels discussion? I know I am! The season continues on with just too much awesomeness and I need to talk all ’bout it! Let’s get started on all that there is to write on In The Name Of The Rebellion!

Contains spoilers from Rogue One and Rebels episodes Ghosts Of Geonosis and In The Name Of The Rebellion.

So first of all, now we know Chopper is not a fan of bathtime XD This revelation made me laugh so hard I almost forgot to fangirl over the very very huge deal that is YAVIN 4! But don’t worry once I saw the lush green jungle-forests and magnificent temples, it’s all I could do but fangirl. There are so many beautiful planets in the SW galaxy I tend to forget how beautiful Yavin — one of its first and oldest worlds — is, and it’s an amazing reminder again how everything connects. On top of all this nostalgia we get a wonderful family reunion! Zeb leading the welcome wagon, Sabine following that up with a loving sisterly punch, getting to say “hi” to Rex, and just how utterly happy Hera is to see her family home again… there are good vibes everywhere (y’know, aside from the near crash and stuff.) and I can’t get enough of it!! Of course, this episode isn’t all good vibes, but In The Name Of balances so well all these elements. From smiles to laughter, from tears to frustration, from complete drama to fear, from great danger to beautiful hope, it’s all there in the course of 44 minutes and it is an amazing, perfectly Star Wars-y mixture that, like say, I cannot get enough of right now.
Also the Rebel Alliance really does look good on Kallus! Not surprised tho… after all, the Rebs are definitely the better-dressed of the two sides 😛 But all dumb fangirling aside, it’s great seeing him embrace his new career and new lease on life!

I’ve said before how much I’m fascinated by what Rogue One introduced — the realization that the Rebellion isn’t always all that unified, and that not everyone’s automatically a hero just because they’re a part of it. This episode got to further dig into these concepts and it’s really interesting and intriguing watching everyone grapple with what’s right and what’s wrong in this war that’s not officially a war. Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera’s verbal confrontation was so well-written and so on fire on both ends it gave me chills. And to see Ezra, Sabine, and even Hera struggle with how to go about rebelling in the right way, but in also a way that actually makes a difference… it really adds a lot to their stories as well as to my understanding of this war. It’s sometimes a lot to wrap my mind around, but I love it all the same, and the richness it brings to this epic episode.

And ohhh my, how’s about all those Jalindi shenanigans? Ezra’s acting skills completely backfiring had me laughing so hard. I think I got to the point I couldn’t breathe after he gave that awkward little wave to the light cruiser XD XD There’s a lot of bad timing involved and the odds are not in their favor too much, but yet it was such a pleasure to watch! Not to mention there were some truly great stormtrooper screams in this one — so embarrassingly high and goofy! 😂 Of course, the first part’s climax wasn’t all fun and games, there were some serious high stakes and a lot of epicness going around. Kanan guiding Hera through the clouds was just too many kinds of wonderful. and says so infinitely much about their bond and Kanan’s growth in the Force. Also excuse my fan-outburst but SAW’S GOT A U-WING!!!! Somehow it’d slipped my mind how insanely cool they are and now I won’t forget it again. Yeah, Gerrera and Edrio Two-Tubes make quite an entrance… and quite an explosive exit (yes I’m sure that that line is overused but it really is the best way to describe anything involving rhydonium). This unexpected detour got me excited to see where this adventure would lead, but I couldn’t help but figure Ezra and Sabine were about to learn a tough lesson today…

Yeah we need to talk about Saw. I was so excited to see him again, and then it was quickly made clear that his morals have become a little more… blurred… than they were on Geonosis. Suddenly it was a lot harder to root for him. He still delivered some stellar wit and some genuinely admirable Rebel fire several times throughout the episode, moments that made me smile and chuckle and nod like “yeah you do that thing Saw!”. But the scale was tipping a bit more in the “extremist” end this time around. Sorry, but putting your goals, even good ones, before of the value of life is really not OK. At all. Even so, it was still good getting to see SWR further connecting with Rogue One, and learning more and more about this fierce, broken Rebel, who I’m so glad has had so much more story to tell since The Clone Wars. I hope we might see him again before the finale. Just maybe next time without any further shooting stunning incidents.

So there they were — our three brave heroes led to something mysterious behind a locked door. All that mattered to me at that moment is finding out what’s behind the door and why it’s “singing”.
And then we see a DEATHTROOPER.
With that frightening dark helmet and that harsh, loud, not-a-melodious-song-whatsoever sound of their com chatter coming at me out of the blue, my literal reaction was a spooked “AHH!“. I knew beforehand we’d be seeing deathtroopers, and I was really excited because as intimidating and frightening as they are, they’re still utterly cool. I just didn’t expect to see them so suddenly. That’s the power of good writing and film editing right there. Not to mention solid sound and voice work, because they sound just as cool and terrifying as ever. As a whole the entire scene with the deaths was a perfect combination of coolness and terror, the kind of scene that SW has always done so well. If I can’t get more Saw then at least I hope we can hang with some more of these guys!

Oh, and I’m pretty sure Chopper’s response to “…you’re a very kind little droid.” could only be one thing:
“He don’t know me very well, do he?” XD
Still, watching him step up and take on them ‘troopers, while delivering his signature sass all the way was pretty awesome 🙂

OK so I have a few ponderings on the kyber crystal. First of all, I’d like to know the story behind Ezra’s current blade even more so now. Like a lot. And where did the Empire even find this huge thing? Where do they find the huge thing they end up using?? And finally, because we’ve learned from Rogue One that that kyber crystals are clear to those not Force-sensitive, and the color they take on (in Jedi circumstances) is based on who the crystals connect with, then is this particular crystal green because it’s briefly connected with Ezra? Dang I hope they covered that on the last Recon I haven’t watched it yet. Hehe yes I owe Rogue One and The Freemaker Adventures for giving me this recent insatiable curiosity with kybers. But anyway yeah it’s pretty scary how close they come to finding out. It’s easy enough to think that the Death Star came right out of left field, but interestingly enough… it might not’ve been entirely. You learn something new every day with Star Wars!

So yeah I’m still beyond amazed how they’ve been opening up the season so far. Like just so much wow! I’m sorry I can’t write about it fast enough sometimes. But for sure there will be more Transmissions on your way next week 🙂

OH WOW you guys this episode! There are no words! Well hopefully they’ll be a few words or this won’t be much of a post… ha ha. Yeah let’s see if I can go ahead and get my thoughts together on all that was awesome and epic and intriguing about the season two finale, Return Of The Return Of The Jedi!

Contains spoilers from Episode VI, Freemakers episode Return Of The Return Of The Jedi, and many episodes from this past season and the last.

The wreckage from the last episode is just devastating guys. Devastating. There’s no other word that works better. Roger looking sad as he held that piece with the Freemaker insignia on it… they were some tears welling up for me. But even amidst the smoke and shattered pieces, Rowan still finds hope… and a new creative vision. I thought I’d be waiting for another season to see a new StarScavenger, but instead Rowan has pieced together a magnificent mash-up I’m going to call the StarArrow! Or maybe it could be the Phoenix Rising, or the Shantipole Shooting Star, or Out Of The Ashes, or just the HeadScavenger! (which actually kind of works weirdly enough) I’ll just let Lego do the naming I guess. But it’s amazing how two vastly different ships — one compact and strong and built for scavenging, and the other sleek and powerful and built for war — could make such a complimentary combination! Zander has full right to fanboy ’cause I definitely agree. I just do hope when I get the kits one of them will have instructions on combining the two… sadly as much as I love Legos I’m not great at building stuff without a manual yet. But that’s another story.

And oh, I’m just so so so amazed how well they orchestrated this episode, watching the Freemakers’ own battles occurring seamlessly alongside the events of Return Of The Jedi! It’s more than I ever could’ve asked for or hoped. As I’ve said before, I’d assumed the show would end before the film’s events, but I’m so glad they did things differently. I love the former Lego SW specials and shorts and miniseries, but man… what they’re doing with TFA is just so immensely incredible. The way they keep to the canon as smoothly as they do, the quality of storytelling, the real danger, the real emotion… I hope this remains a staple of Lego Star Wars forever, even at whatever point in the future this beautiful series says “goodbye” :3
Whoops I really rabbit-trailed there. This is what happens when you love a show and though you know they only called it the season finale they don’t say anything about whether the series has been renewed or not and you may not know for months what becomes of it.

What I was intending to talk about last paragraph was Palpatine’s “best day ever”. It’s so interesting to realize that Sidious had other things he was doing that day, other things going on than just him sitting in his throne, preparing to make a chilling reveal to the son of Skywalker. He’s still the Emperor! Still has places to go, things to do, Rebels to crush, weapons of mass destruction to wield! The guy had no reason in the universe to think today’d be the day his apprentice turned on him and sent him sprawling into Death Star II’s energy core. For pretty much the first time ever, I’ve really started to wonder a bit about all of Sheev Palpatine’s story we don’t know, how he got from decent human being to the ultimate evil. It’s almost as though seeing him so blissfully unaware of all that was about to go down has made me see him slightly more as a human being. Weird. Need some canon answers on this now.

And we can’t forget the return of the return of the Kyber Saber! What a truly awesome twist! After all the Saber put them through last season, now it’s the one thing that evens the odds and could save them all. Love when stuff like that comes full circle! It’s nice to put aside the weapon’s destructive past and see it as the force of light it was always intended to be. I’m *sigh* gonna miss it, but it was the right way to go for sure.

So never in a billion years did I see coming who that Death Star operator was. Safe to say you didn’t either. In the space of those few minutes after we watched said operator take a look back at our heroes, I ran through every character we’ve seen in the series (and a few we haven’t) and how they might possibly make sense and be here right now. I think I did consider Luke for a second because there was the thought that maybe he was on his way back to Endor at this point. Once I knew it was a she I considered Maynar briefly but that made even less sense since clearly the operator was a human. I think I might’ve briefly briefly thought maybe it was Sabine even (and seriously that would’ve been so cool!). But nope.
IT WAS BECKY. SMOOCHENBACHER. OMG WHAT.
I haven’t been this shocked since I watched Kylo Ren offer his hand to Rey in the Episode VIII trailer. But this was a slightly better kind of shock because it was followed up by me guffawing loudly. Zander’s reaction is still the best thing I’ve seen all week XD And crazily enough this all does make sense. Like I’ve theorized before, Becky was a customer of theirs when she inadvertently damaged her parents’ expensive spacecraft. Zander and Becky only caught the smallest glimpse of each other, unbeknownst either knew they existed. But he got her name on the financial records, and she got his name on their business card… and that was enough. Then I’m betting her parents sent her to the Imperial Academy after they found out about her joyride, and here we are. So all this time Zander had a crush on a girl who was as much a hopeless romantic as he is. How perfect is that?! They barely know each other and yet it’s like they’ve known each other forever! Well, I guess that’s a tendency with teenage love, but I’m all on board the Zanecky train anyway ❤ OK glad I got that all out I've been fangirling over this all week.

Anyway, WHAT A CLIMAX! I'm sure I've already said this before elsewhere, but it adds so much depth when you find see how many other stories surround the stories we already know. It's one of the things I've loved most about all these new SW stories lately. To think that smack in the middle of the battle of Endor, there was a whole other dramatic confrontation going down right on the Death Star's core! I was assuming that a weapon as powerful as the Kyber Saber would make dust out of M-OC instantly. But I'd forgotten he'd be fighting kyber with kyber. And of the two the droid has the bigger, more powerful one. You know what I'd said last finale on the Saber, and how because of its size it's like putting together several thousand normal-sized already-powerful crystals together until they reach several feet in length equaling a massive mind-blowing amount of power? Well now it occurred to me how many more crystals the Arrowhead‘s former core was comprised of. It’s probably… IDK four times that? Gosh I’m really really really glad Palpatine never got that ship now. If a Forcewielder holding the Saber could tear apart moons… what do you think a Forcewielder flying the Arrowhead could’ve done? Probably could tear right into hyperspace! And probably worse things! True, the crystal in the Arrowhead functioned primarily as a shield, but it did aid the embersteel blade so… I think my theory’s right. So yeah M-OC was a terrifying force in every way possible… but when his “perfect” logic fails his core directive, Ro takes the shot and finally, finally wins.
But he only ultimately wins because his so-called “weakness”, his family, wouldn’t go anywhere without him 🙂

And so we follow with the ultimate in happy endings, the ewok party! It’s one of my forever favorite scenes in the Skywalker saga (’cause you know I’m a softie like that), and it just got even sweeter as we get to watch the Freemakers join in :3 Also bonus Hera and Chopper are out there gettin’ down! Thanks to them I spent a lot of this scene looking for other familiar SWR faces even though I know they’re not going to go and spoil something like that, but it’s still fun looking. And I definitely need an episode in the future with all our favorite Rebel droids on an adventure of some sort (would love to know what Threepio would say to that! I get the feeling Artoo already doesn’t approve XP). But perhaps the best new moment I saw at the celebration? Watching Rowan finally show Luke the power he’s had all along.
Not to totally throw cheese all over the post, but… it’s more of a happy new beginning than a happy ending 😀

See what I mean? SO MUCH WOW! I hardly know how to fully express how happy this show makes me right now, seriously. So have a bunch of emojis!
😂😂😄😃😀😊😍😍😊😀😁😆😆🤓🤓🤗🤗💖💜💙🎆🎇🙌🎆🎇
I will see you tomorrow to talk Rebels, and more Star Wars in general in the weeks to come!

OK so you know I wasn’t gonna not talk about the Freemaker Adventures shorts that came out Star Wars Day! They’re absolutely golden little nuggets of wonderful that tie in perfectly with the rest of the series, and also make it harder and harder for me to wait for next season, in a good way 🙂 I’m gonna link them all up here and talk about some of the coolest tidbits, nerdy thoughts, and interesting connections in each one as we go!NOTE: Contains spoilers from Rogue One, the first season of The Freemaker Adventures, and Rebels episode Double Agent Droid

HOME ONE: The Job Interview
After months spent soaking in the reruns, laying awake at night lost in my headcanons and theories, and occasionally worrying a second season might not even happen, seeing these shorts was like coming home! It’s so cool seeing exactly what conspired immediately after the season finale’s end (not a lot of shows do that, y’know?). I thought it was interesting the Alliance showed interest in recruiting him just on Palpatine’s rage alone. I figured word got around about the Kyber Saber incident on Coruscant, but clearly, if you end up on the Emperor’s “public enemy” list, you’re a friend of the Rebels! But the Freemakers’ job wasn’t signed and sealed until they saw what the kids could bring to the table, that being a lot of guts, ingenuity, creativity, and some serious business skills a la Kordi! Also any and all spare parts, ’cause the poor Rebs could really use ’em. Ah you guys I’m so pumped for what comes next with the series! We’re not only getting to see the Rebel Alliance in a little-explored era, but we’re getting to see what it’s like on an everyday daily basis… with a few Freemaker hijinks along the way 🙂

Assorted Fangirl Musings:
– LIEUTENANT VALERIA HAS A U-WING AND I AM BOTH IN AWE AND INSANELY JEALOUS.
– I seriously can’t believe the wookiees and the trandoshans are still going at it tho.
– I may be mistaken, but I love that they finally got Lego jawas to say something besides just “uttini”.

THROWN INTO BATTLE: How To Make Friends And Win Battles
My literal reaction to seeing Chopper was a big feeling-all-gooey-inside “AWWWW!!”. I know we’ll get to see Hera in the coming season, but I had no idea if her grumpy droid would make it this far (with all the Rebels he’s angered and annoyed, it’s a little surprising he hasn’t been “dismantlated” yet). So seeing his rusty orange dome and hearing his grunts was an absolute treat. But this short’s not about Chopper, it’s a Roger adventure! It’s fun seeing the old battle droid’s creative side as well as his sociable side. And boy was that battle a close call! The Star Wars galaxy is just chock-full of beautifully unexpected heroes! 😀

Assorted Fangirl Musings:
– I’m still confused as to whether Roger’s number is spelled “Ar-zero-gee-ar” or “Ar-oh-gee-ar”. I think a lot of sources spell it with a zero, so that’s what I do, but Roger referred to it with an “o”. I guess it doesn’t really make that much difference either way, but the last thing I want to do is mispell a character’s name if I can help it.
– Anyone else crack up when Roger utilized the peg on top of an astromech’s head as a cupholder? XD #OnlyInLegoStarWars
– The very fact Chopper went after Roger with blasters in hand honestly made my day. I’d originally theorized Chop and Roger wouldn’t get along well because they were on opposite sides during the Clone Wars, but getting past the initial first impressions, it looks like Chop’s found himself a new buddy to mess with! 😛
– Not gonna lie, I was kinda hoping we might get another droid musical number when R0-GR was floating around at the end… yeah I’m guessing that’s something you can only do maybe once in Star Wars, though…

ROWAN’S SECRET ADVENTURE: Caught Up In The Action
Early on, I’d originally theorized that perhaps the Rebels hired Rowan for more than just as a mechanic, maybe as a lieutenant commander! After all, he’s only twelve and he’s already saved the galaxy as well as possessing some mighty Force powers. But right now at least, he’s on the outside looking in… literally as he’s in the hangar sneaking a peek at a Rebel briefing. Ahh he’s still got that utterly precious curiosity and infectious spirit that makes my insides melt like he’s my own kid! :3 And seeing him to continue to grow his Force-building prowess just makes me so darn proud! Not to mention watching him hold his own pretty awesomely in that Y-wing… second season’s not even begun and I’m already getting feels up here over how grown-up he’s become! This one’s just too much fun you guys.

Assorted Fangirl Musings:
– I never thought burnt cookies could do so much damage. Yikes.
– I’ll talk more about her later, but Valeria’s the bomb. When she don’t got time to waste, she blasts whatever’s in her way! Including large awkward chunks of Rebel ships. #Bosslady
– “BEEP BOOP! WE’RE GONNA DIE!! BOOP!” I dunno Roger makes a pretty convincing astromech to me! XD
– Think Galen Erso designed this Imperial base too? His exhaust port self-destruct functions are a trademark of his work!

ZANDER FREEMAKER, SUPERSTAR PILOT GUY: Blaze-Making
I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Zander would go into the Alliance with a burning desire to be a pilot; that’s math even Raam and Baash could understand! But I also knew someone was gonna stand in his way, and I actually theorized early on it might be a bosslady pilot. So, cool! I’m on a roll! When I’d first read the main cast listing for the coming season, I’d thought this Lieutenant Valeria was an Imperial graycoat, but I was pleased as punch to hear Yvette Nicole Brown’s stellar voice acting coming from a Rebel instead. Valeria is all energy, enthusiasm, and an honorable confidence with a touch of sass and I love her already. Also she gets to fly a U-wing and gets an awesome blue flightsuit, which just ups her coolness levels. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about her in the coming season. In fact, the theories have already begun (Anyone else wondering where she got that scar on her left temple? Also I’m assuming Valeria’s her last name, so I want to know if she’s got a first one). But I had no idea though that Zander was gonna get into a battle this soon, and he really does own it out there! You guys don’t doubt Superstar bro here! Granted I don’t think even Sabine would approve of that much firepower on one spacecraft, and ultimately I’m getting the feeling this incident may keep Zander out of the pilot’s seat for a while, but you gotta love his zest and spunk anyway! 🙂

Assorted Fangirl Musings:
– Quick thought: soooo the Rebels hardly have enough spare parts as it is, but… they somehow had enough cannons and guns lying around that they could fix ’em onto the Blazemaker? Hondo must’ve come through for them again. Heh boy’d be interesting if Captain Ohnaka crossed paths with the Freemakers again now… I bet he’d consider them friends if he knew one was a Jedi.
– Love the video game-style shots! That got a big laugh out of me and my bro.
– Anyone else think he shot down a lot a lot of bucketheads though? I get he’s defending his comrades, and I know not all of them died, but it almost seemed a bit of an edgy move for him to make, especially when he went after those TIEs in retreat with the megacannon. If it weren’t for the fact that the Rebels had already lost a couple fighters themselves it might’ve been kinda cruel. This may be war, Zander, but I don’t want you losing that noble part of you that I love. Wow that got probably a little too deep there. This is still Lego, after all… (EDIT: FORGET WHAT I SAID; TFA IS NEVER JUST “LEGO”! I meant it only in that stormtroopers don’t get killed off much in Lego but I realize that sounded like I was saying it wasn’t worth taking seriously. Forgive me for any miscommunication.)
– RIP Blazemaker. I just got around to fully appreciating it and now… yeah I sorta went through a brief period of mourning. Here’s hoping he’ll put together a 3.0 version for the next season!

BEWARE THE GAMMOREAN FLU: Sick Moves
We close out the shorts with a riveting adventure focused on the entire fam and their clever plan to help some old acquaintances. Nice seeing Durpin and Plumestriker again, though I found it interesting Durpin has suddenly gotten himself some motivation. I’m thinking his desire to arrest the Freemakers is more of a personal interest than work-related. We also learn that Durpin is a hypochondriac and I can kinda relate to that XP I love that it looks at first like their plan failed, but it turns out that was the whole point! The Imps didn’t suspect a thing! All the teamworks, all the excitement, all the Lando and all the Chewie! And of course, all the feels as the Freemakers call the Rebellion “home” :3

Assorted Fangirl Musings:
– It’s embarrassing for me to admit, but I realized watching this that I’ve been pronouncing “gammorean” wrong all these years. I’ve put more emphasis on the “mor” instead of the “rean”. Oh well you live and learn.
– This did get me thinking a lot though on SW diseases and this concept of illnesses only certain species can contract. I mean, I guess it’s not that weird, it’s just easy for me to forget that, just because certain humanoids may have similar forms, doesn’t mean that they’re all the same on the inside. It’s reasonable that gammorean immune systems and human immune systems can handle different things differently. I’d like to see some canon perspective on this though because science. Fascinating.
– “Well… here we are… watching a cell door…” “Yep…” Stormtroopers say the best things sometimes XD
– Also remind me to never get on Roger’s bad side when he’s wielding one of his own legs. K.O.’D! Anyone wonder though if he’ll have a new leg this season? Wouldn’t surprise me somehow… everyone else is getting a new look, so why leave the droid out of it? 🙂

So this was a blast to write and I look forward to writing more deep nerdy thoughts in the weeks to come as we anticipate some new Freemaker Adventures, as well as everything else exciting coming next in the Star Wars galaxy!